Do you think I should spend $2600 and add exhaust brake?

afishinado wrote:

3oaks wrote:

Dave H M wrote:
I would never spend that money to cross the rockies.

I drove an eighteen wheeler that did not have an eb.

I am not knocking them, however I think you will get one cus you are stewing over the issue.

Ask if you need Bilstein shocks before you leave the drive way. you will get the same answer from the Bil guys.

So spend the money if it makes you comfortable or other wise use the proper mountain driving techniques.

Have a good trip, you will love the rockies.

I agree.

An exhaust brake may be useful, but not a necessity if the TV is in good condition and the trailer brakes are in good shape and adjusted properly. Gear down before starting a long or steep decent and keep the speed way down from the beginning helps tremendously. I used to be more concerned about climbing some of the steep grades than I was going down them.

another that has a gas class A towing a 14' enclosed trailer with two bikes.



..

I hope you know. the GAS engine already has engine braking. It is a natural thing to a GAS engine. Diesels on the other hand. Have NO natural engine braking. They free wheel down a grade in any gear you choose. Unless you have some sort of add on braking, like an exhaust, or tranny brake.

You cannot compare the braking on a gas engine with that of a diesel. I also drove 18 wheelers, and they had no exhaust brake. But I begged for one every time I came off a mountain top. I would drop the Fuller to 5th, and all it would do was REDLINE the engine, Would not slow the truck at all, as I said. FREEWHEEL.

To those that commented on my "Jake Brake" comment, I think you all know the type of "Jake Brake" I was talking about and that I was addressing the statement that said " I'm sure we've all heard that incredibly loud FAP-FAP-FAP-FAP of an unumuffled Jake brake (is that right?) in our travels." I'm sure the term "Jake Brake" means that to almost everyone here and not any exhaust brake made by Jacobs.

Whether the exhaust brake is manufactured by Jacobs or not was not what that statement was about in my opinion. It was a reference to the the noise made by a compression release engine brake as it is working while going down a hill or slowing a big truck down.

I probably should have edited out that portion of the post as being "off topic" or "trolling" rather than just replying to it. Doing that however would have eliminated a bunch of informative posts about exhaust brakes that many members may not have been aware of.
Thank you all for that.:)
Barney

tsetsaf wrote:

afishinado wrote:

3oaks wrote:

Dave H M wrote:
I would never spend that money to cross the rockies.

I drove an eighteen wheeler that did not have an eb.

I am not knocking them, however I think you will get one cus you are stewing over the issue.

Ask if you need Bilstein shocks before you leave the drive way. you will get the same answer from the Bil guys.

So spend the money if it makes you comfortable or other wise use the proper mountain driving techniques.

Have a good trip, you will love the rockies.

I agree.

An exhaust brake may be useful, but not a necessity if the TV is in good condition and the trailer brakes are in good shape and adjusted properly. Gear down before starting a long or steep decent and keep the speed way down from the beginning helps tremendously. I used to be more concerned about climbing some of the steep grades than I was going down them.

Thanks again, what I was hoping to hear. Also contacted two retired truck driver friends, one has the same truck as mine and pulls a race car (lot less weight) and another that has a gas class A towing a 14' enclosed trailer with two bikes. They concur it would be better to have it for sure, but knowing me and how I drive, and how often I'm going to use it, suggested I pass..

The $2600 came from the local Ram dealer for the project. While I'm sure there are better products, I would be surprised if the OEM one is anything but good. I saw them on line for $1400 (the OEM one) abd it looks like 4 or 5 hours @ $75 for my mechanic, so it's close no matter how I did it.

I have replaced, repaired, serviced or upgraded every system on the truck and trailer. The trailer has new brake assemblies, hubs etc. Added a TST tire pressure monitor system. I think the TV is complete, the 5er is in my drive for the final 2 weeks before departure for any other detailing it may need..

THANK YOU EVERYONE...

I am confused... so you were just looking for permission to do the wrong thing?

On this forum we have the "weight police" who flip out when people put even 1 lb of weight over their posted numbers. As I responded before the 06 manual states an "exhaust brake is required for towing over 10,000 lbs". Doesn't say it is required only if you will be driving mountain passes. You are travelling 7,000+ lbs OVER your rated weight rating if you continue towing without an eb.

I know that in the towing section of my owners manual an EB is recommended for trailers over 10,000#.
Your money your choice, I only tow about 11,000# and never give a down hill grade a second thought.
PS: if you do buy get a Pacbrake better than a jake!

Here is another thought. Aren't most or all of the interstate grades 6%?

Thant was a piece of cake for my ole 99 psd yanking a 10.5 fifth wheel along. And i mean going down without an eb also.

Lets stay on the beaten path and not get into Pikes Peak, etc. :W

I bought a 04.5 Ram CTD one owner a year and a half ago. Previous owner had put a Pac Brake on it, with auxiliary air compressor fitting, obviously was very professionally installed. I feel fortunate that it had the Pac Brake on it. It's pretty amazing towing down grades. As some said, generally don't even need to use the service brakes. I'm sure the resale will be a bit higher whenever I decide to sell it due to the exhaust brake.

I'd say get one if you can afford it, but up to you whether to spend the $ or not.

ScottG wrote:

mowermech wrote:

BarneyS wrote:

2oldman wrote:

Bedlam wrote:
I use the EB in traffic as much as I do the hills - It's not just for elevation descents, but for any desired deceleration.

Yes, I forgot about that. I do that all the time..really saves the service brakes. I'm sure we've all heard that incredibly loud FAP-FAP-FAP-FAP of an unumuffled Jake brake (is that right?) in our travels.

They are not talking about Jake Brakes here.
Barney

Sorry, Barney, but my old 1994 Dodge CTD 3500 had a Jacobs Rambrake on it. According to the Jacobs website, if Jacobs made it, it IS a "Jake Brake"!
If Jacobs says it is a Jake Brake, I am certainly not about to argue with them!
As for the OP, get the Jacobs Rambrake. I enjoyed mine greatly! My Gross Combined Vehicle Weight was 21,180 lbs when towing the fifth wheel. I crossed the Continental Divide, the Sierras, and the Cascade Range several times. The Jacobs Rambrake was worth its weight in gold!

Your brake is made by Jacobs but it is not a "Jake brake", which is a very different type of device. Definition of Jake Brake

From the referenced article(copy and paste):
"All of the brake systems made by Jacobs Vehicle Systems can accurately be called "jake brakes," not just their compression release engine brakes. They also produce the Jacobs Exhaust Brakes and Jacobs Driveline Brakes, both of which are nearly silent. The engine brakes are the ones that make that distinctive staccato sound, and if I could make a WAV, I'd include my imitation of it here."

I stand by my statement!

to the OP: As you are on the downside of Homestake Pass on I-90 just East of Butte, MT (Eastbound or Westbound, doesn't matter) just remember, you COULD have had an EB installed.
Then there is Lookout Pass on the MT/ID border, and Fourth of July Pass in Idaho, and the Vantage Hill at the Colu8mbia River Gorge, and Snoqualmi Pass over the Cascade Range, not to mention all the "hills" scattered along the route.
Have fun.

tsetsaf wrote:
You are travelling 7,000+ lbs OVER your rated weight rating if you continue towing without an eb.

I will look at the manual, I have not seen anywhere on the truck ANYTHING that says it needs the brake for over 10k... Hell, it spent it's entire life pulling a trailer well over that.

Edit:
1. Nowhere in my manual that I can find is there even mention of the exhaust brake.

2. I am running overweight by about 1500lbs: "GCWR-23,000 (according to dodge) 26,000 (according to DOT) the max amount of weight that the loaded truck and loaded trailer can weigh together."

afishinado wrote:

3oaks wrote:

Dave H M wrote:
I would never spend that money to cross the rockies.

I drove an eighteen wheeler that did not have an eb.

I am not knocking them, however I think you will get one cus you are stewing over the issue.

Ask if you need Bilstein shocks before you leave the drive way. you will get the same answer from the Bil guys.

So spend the money if it makes you comfortable or other wise use the proper mountain driving techniques.

Have a good trip, you will love the rockies.

I agree.

An exhaust brake may be useful, but not a necessity if the TV is in good condition and the trailer brakes are in good shape and adjusted properly. Gear down before starting a long or steep decent and keep the speed way down from the beginning helps tremendously. I used to be more concerned about climbing some of the steep grades than I was going down them.

Thanks again, what I was hoping to hear. Also contacted two retired truck driver friends, one has the same truck as mine and pulls a race car (lot less weight) and another that has a gas class A towing a 14' enclosed trailer with two bikes. They concur it would be better to have it for sure, but knowing me and how I drive, and how often I'm going to use it, suggested I pass..

The $2600 came from the local Ram dealer for the project. While I'm sure there are better products, I would be surprised if the OEM one is anything but good. I saw them on line for $1400 (the OEM one) abd it looks like 4 or 5 hours @ $75 for my mechanic, so it's close no matter how I did it.

I have replaced, repaired, serviced or upgraded every system on the truck and trailer. The trailer has new brake assemblies, hubs etc. Added a TST tire pressure monitor system. I think the TV is complete, the 5er is in my drive for the final 2 weeks before departure for any other detailing it may need..

THANK YOU EVERYONE...

I am confused... so you were just looking for permission to do the wrong thing?

On this forum we have the "weight police" who flip out when people put even 1 lb of weight over their posted numbers. As I responded before the 06 manual states an "exhaust brake is required for towing over 10,000 lbs". Doesn't say it is required only if you will be driving mountain passes. You are travelling 7,000+ lbs OVER your rated weight rating if you continue towing without an eb.

To the OP,
Just remember what a good investment the EB would be every time you need to step on the brake pedal on a down grade and heat up the service brakes. I will just rumbel my way down the hill.

3oaks wrote:

Dave H M wrote:
I would never spend that money to cross the rockies.

I drove an eighteen wheeler that did not have an eb.

I am not knocking them, however I think you will get one cus you are stewing over the issue.

Ask if you need Bilstein shocks before you leave the drive way. you will get the same answer from the Bil guys.

So spend the money if it makes you comfortable or other wise use the proper mountain driving techniques.

Have a good trip, you will love the rockies.

I agree.

An exhaust brake may be useful, but not a necessity if the TV is in good condition and the trailer brakes are in good shape and adjusted properly. Gear down before starting a long or steep decent and keep the speed way down from the beginning helps tremendously. I used to be more concerned about climbing some of the steep grades than I was going down them.

Thanks again, what I was hoping to hear. Also contacted two retired truck driver friends, one has the same truck as mine and pulls a race car (lot less weight) and another that has a gas class A towing a 14' enclosed trailer with two bikes. They concur it would be better to have it for sure, but knowing me and how I drive, and how often I'm going to use it, suggested I pass..

The $2600 came from the local Ram dealer for the project. While I'm sure there are better products, I would be surprised if the OEM one is anything but good. I saw them on line for $1400 (the OEM one) abd it looks like 4 or 5 hours @ $75 for my mechanic, so it's close no matter how I did it.

I have replaced, repaired, serviced or upgraded every system on the truck and trailer. The trailer has new brake assemblies, hubs etc. Added a TST tire pressure monitor system. I think the TV is complete, the 5er is in my drive for the final 2 weeks before departure for any other detailing it may need..

THANK YOU EVERYONE...